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The University of Wisconsin-Madison: Modernizing a Campus by Committee
8/22/2003
Taking this concept even further, we employed a Campus Implementation Committee that contained at least one representative from every school division on campus. By flagging areas that needed improvement, this group helped us prioritize the campus operations that required immediate IT attention. The committee would review proposed changes to campus procedures, test them, and offer valuable feedback on the new applications. Who better to analyze the impact of a new student administrative process than those individuals who would use the technology every day? End users’ opinions were perhaps the most valuable asset during our upgrade, and their continuous involvement helped ensure a smooth adoption of the end product.
2. Communicate, Communicate
Because we had learned that the new Student Administration technology disrupted the “old way” of doing business at our university, constant, effective communication with our ultimate end users was essential. Students, faculty, and staff members needed to know which IT changes were taking place and when. We placed so much stock in this concept that we hired a full-time communications coordinator devoted specifically to the ISIS project.
Our communications coordinator built internal and external support for the new technology through a variety of methods. For example, during the initial implementation, he created a monthly newsletter that detailed project milestones such as go-lives, upgrades, and maintenance periods. We have now expanded these efforts. Today, he also distributes information about training opportunities, conducts surveys and campus forums, and manages an informational ISIS Web site. By maintaining a constant flow of information about the project, our communications coordinator helps ensure that no end user is overwhelmed by the new technology. It has made a world of difference.
3. Make Training Valuable
As we executed our implementation, we devoted key resources to training programs. Two full-time staff members designed and facilitated regular training sessions on the new technology, offering collateral material and hands-on experience to end users campuswide.
“Making training valuable” is an important lesson learned. Even today, with every go-live or upgrade on our campus, more training becomes necessary. Our training staff must constantly find ways to keep curricula fresh for trainees.
At Wisconsin, we also discovered a new way to extend our limited training resources: auxiliary training “coaches.” Because we lacked ample training personnel to reach every end user, we initially identified 45 experts within each college who were familiar with campus business processes. Then, we gave them early and extra training in the new PeopleSoft technology.
This experience was so valuable that now, four years after the initial implementation, we still maintain a group of 35 complete volunteers; and today’s ISIS trainers are committed to keeping those experts trained and up to speed on every technology change affecting their campus community. We call these informed individuals “coaches” and have come to depend on them to help us cast a wider training net. The coaches act as pseudo teaching assistants during training sessions and ensure we are extra responsive to end-user questions. Additionally, they help new staff members negotiate the initial access process.
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